1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a backlight assembly. More particularly, example embodiments relate to a backlight assembly capable of enhancing light efficiency and maintaining uniform display luminance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal display (“LCD”) devices are one of the most widely used types of flat panel display devices. LCD devices include a display substrate on which electric field generating electrodes, such as a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode, are formed, and an opposite substrate. The opposite substrate is positioned opposite to the display substrate. Moreover, LCD devices include a liquid crystal (“LC”) layer interposed between the display substrate and the opposite substrate, and together, the two substrates and LC layer form the LCD panel portion of the LCD device. LCD devices display images by applying voltages to the electric field generating electrodes in the LCD panel, which cause an electric field to be generated across the LC layer. The electric field controls the orientation of the LC molecules in the LC layer, which affects the polarization of light passing therethrough.
Because the LCD panel of an LCD device is a non-light-emitting device that is not capable of emitting light on its own, a light source is required for the LCD device to display images. Light sources commonly used in LCD devices include, for example, light-emitting diodes (“LED”), cold cathode fluorescent lamps (“CCFL”), flat fluorescent lamps (“FFL”), etc.
The light source is incorporated into a backlight assembly, which is placed next to the LCD panel. Conventional LCD devices typically employ an edge illumination type backlight assembly. The edge illumination type backlight assembly includes a plurality of LEDs and a light guide plate (“LGP”). The LEDS are disposed along a side of the LGP. In the edge illumination type backlight assembly, the LEDs along a side of the LGP emit light, and the emitted light is incident into the LGP. The LGP then guides the light provided from the LEDS through the LGP such that the light is incident into the LCD panel. The distance that light travels from a light emission surface of the LEDs to a side, incident surface of the LGP is referred to as an “incident light distance.” The incident light distance is not uniformly maintained due to elasticity of the LGP, which may contract or expand in accordance with a surrounding temperature and moisture content of ambient air.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.